Yarn color spraying system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a yarn color spraying system and method, and the system sequentially comprises a pretreatment mechanism which is used for carrying out the tension control and deoiling treatment of a plurality of parallel yarns in the yarn advancing direction; the color spraying mechanism at least comprises a printing module, the printing module comprises a plurality of printing heads arranged in the breadth direction of the yarns, and the printing heads are configured to conduct digital color spraying on the yarns based on a preset printing technology in the advancing process of the multiple yarns; the color fixing mechanism is configured to perform color fixing treatment on the multiple yarns subjected to color spraying; and the post-processing mechanism is configured to clean and wind the plurality of yarns subjected to color fixing treatment. According to the scheme, personalized high-quality color spraying of the high-elastic yarn can be achieved, the process is efficient, energy-saving and environmentally friendly, the green manufacturing trend is met, the production flexibility and the response speed are improved, and the comprehensive quality and consistency of a final product are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of yarn production technology, and in particular to a yarn color spraying system and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the textile industry and the upgrading of consumption, market demand for textiles has shifted from basic practical functions to high levels of personalization, fashion, and environmental friendliness. High-elastic yarns, due to their excellent tensile recovery and body-hugging comfort, are widely used in high-end sportswear, swimwear, and underwear. However, personalized coloring of high-elastic yarns has always been a technical challenge within the industry.

[0003] Currently, mainstream yarn dyeing methods in the industry, such as skein dyeing and package dyeing, are wet dyeing methods using water as a medium. These methods generally suffer from problems such as high water consumption, large amounts of chemicals (such as salt and alkali), and the generation of large amounts of industrial wastewater, resulting in enormous environmental pressure and contradicting the sustainable development trend of green manufacturing. More importantly, for high-elastic yarns, prolonged immersion in high-temperature dye liquor and the compression caused by yarn stacking can easily damage their internal elastic structure, leading to a stiffer hand feel and reduced elasticity in the final product. Simultaneously, uneven penetration of the dye liquor within the yarn stack can easily lead to uneven dyeing, color variations, and other quality problems, making it difficult to meet the demands of high-end applications. Furthermore, traditional dyeing methods have lengthy processes, taking a long time from dyeing to drying and setting, and making it difficult to switch colors and patterns, thus failing to meet the current market's demand for flexible production with small batches, multiple colors, and rapid response.

[0004] In recent years, digital inkjet printing technology has revolutionized the pattern and color processing of textiles and has been successfully applied to the printing of finished fabrics. If this technology could be applied to yarn beforehand, theoretically, ultra-high precision pattern customization and unlimited color combinations could be achieved at the yarn level, bringing unprecedented design freedom to subsequent weaving. However, directly applying inkjet printing technology to yarn, especially high-elastic yarn, still faces a series of technical bottlenecks: First, residual spinning oil on the surface of the yarn (especially synthetic high-elastic yarn) severely hinders the wetting, adsorption, and penetration of inkjet ink, resulting in poor clarity, dull colors, and insufficient fastness of the printed pattern. Second, high-elastic yarn is extremely sensitive to tension during processing; even slight tension fluctuations can cause significant elastic deformation, leading to changes in the spacing of the yarns in the printing area, resulting in misalignment, blurred patterns, or ghosting. This places extremely high demands on precise tension control during the printing process. Third, after inkjet printing, the ink only physically adheres to the surface of the yarn. If efficient color fixing is not performed immediately, the unfixed dye molecules are very likely to migrate during subsequent winding, storage and weaving processes, causing cross-color contamination between yarns. At the same time, excess ink droplets or drips generated during the printing process will contaminate the yarn guide rollers of the equipment. Without an effective online collection and cleaning mechanism, it will affect the continuity of production and product consistency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve one or more of the technical problems existing in the prior art, this application provides a yarn dyeing system and method to solve one or more technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this application to solve its technical problem is as follows: In a first aspect, this application provides a yarn dyeing system, the system comprising, in sequence along the yarn travel direction: The pretreatment mechanism is configured to perform tension control and degreasing treatment on multiple parallel yarns; The color spraying mechanism includes at least a printing module, the printing module including multiple print heads arranged along the yarn width direction, configured to digitally spray color onto the yarn based on a preset printing technology during the travel of the multiple yarns; A color-fixing mechanism is configured to fix the color of the multiple yarns that have been sprayed with color. The post-processing unit is configured to clean and wind up the multiple yarns after color fixing treatment.

[0007] This proposed solution enables simultaneous personalized, high-quality color spraying of multiple high-elastic yarns. The process is highly efficient, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly, aligning with green manufacturing trends. It enhances production flexibility and response speed, ensuring the overall quality and consistency of the final product.

[0008] In one specific embodiment, the pretreatment mechanism along the yarn travel direction includes: The yarn feeding assembly includes a drive unit and a tension sensor, configured to control the tension of the plurality of yarns; A yarn feeder includes evenly distributed ceramic eyelets, configured to pass the plurality of yarns from the yarn feeding assembly through the ceramic eyelets for separation; The degreasing tank is configured to degrease the multiple yarns. A dehumidifier is configured to dehumidify the multiple yarns after the degreasing treatment.

[0009] This application's solution, through its yarn feeding assembly, yarn guide frame, degreasing tank, and dehumidifier arranged sequentially along the yarn travel direction, achieves high-precision, adaptive, and stable control of yarn tension, ensuring the physical order of yarn separation, preventing cross-contamination and pollution, efficiently removing surface oil, optimizing the underlying conditions for ink adhesion, precisely controlling the yarn moisture content, and ensuring the physical state at the moment of ink spraying.

[0010] In one specific embodiment, the pretreatment mechanism further includes a first guide machine disposed between the cable tray and the first cleaning tank, and a second guide machine disposed downstream of the dehumidifier; The first guide machine and / or the second guide machine include a yarn separating component, a light roller, and a pressure roller.

[0011] This application proposes a solution that, by adding a first guide machine and a second guide machine to the pretreatment mechanism, precisely guides and applies physical action to the yarn at different process stages. This ensures that the yarn's physical form and spatial trajectory remain under control and in an optimal state throughout a series of complex state changes, such as tension control, separation, chemical treatment, and drying. This lays an irreplaceable physical foundation for obtaining the highest quality color spraying effect.

[0012] In one specific embodiment, the system further includes: The first wastewater purification and circulation mechanism is connected to the degreasing tank and is configured to purify the wastewater flowing out of the degreasing tank.

[0013] This application proposes a solution that achieves closed-loop utilization of wastewater resources by adding a first wastewater purification and circulation mechanism connected to the degreasing tank. This significantly reduces the environmental load and fresh water consumption, maintains the stability of the concentration and cleanliness of the degreasing process liquid, and ensures the consistency of pretreatment quality.

[0014] In one specific embodiment, the color spraying mechanism further includes: A synchronization controller, electrically connected to the printing module, is configured to control the inkjet action of the print head based on the travel speed and position of the multiple yarns. This application solution achieves precise and stable digital color printing on high-speed traveling yarn by integrating a printing module and a synchronous controller.

[0015] In one specific embodiment, the color-fixing mechanism includes: A cooling and color-fixing unit is configured to cool and fix the dyed yarns; and / or, The drying and color-fixing unit is configured to heat and fix the multiple yarns after cooling.

[0016] This application's solution, through the design of a two-stage treatment unit consisting of cooling and drying color fixing, achieves efficient and high-quality color fixing treatment for digitally sprayed yarn, enabling precise staged control of the physical state and chemical fixation of the ink, and improving color fastness.

[0017] In one specific embodiment, the drying and color-fixing unit includes: The box-shaped enclosure has an internal cavity for receiving contents. A hot air mechanism, disposed above the housing, is configured to generate dry, hot air within the receiving cavity; and / or, A steam mechanism is located below the housing and configured to generate hot, humid steam within the containment cavity; A conveying mechanism, disposed between the hot air mechanism and the steam mechanism, is configured to carry and convey the multiple yarns through the receiving cavity; A yarn spreading mechanism is located at the entrance of the conveying mechanism and is configured to spread the multiple yarns on the conveying mechanism.

[0018] This application's solution, through a three-dimensional layout with the hot air mechanism positioned above the chamber and the steam mechanism below, creates a composite thermal environment within the containment cavity, consisting of dry, hot air flowing downwards and humid, hot steam rising upwards. The dry, hot air promotes rapid dye fixation, while the humid, hot steam assists in the full swelling and migration of dye molecules. Furthermore, this structure facilitates the uniform distribution of heat and humidity, effectively avoiding problems such as localized overheating, insufficient heating, or steam condensation present in traditional equipment. This ensures uniform color fixation on the surface and internal fibers of elastic materials (especially high-elastic yarns), significantly improving color fastness and color vibrancy.

[0019] In one specific embodiment, the system further includes: A stabilizing yarn-laying mechanism is located upstream of the drying and color-fixing unit and is configured to adjust the tension of the multiple yarns before they enter the drying and color-fixing unit.

[0020] The proposed solution, by adding a stable yarn-laying mechanism upstream of the drying and color-fixing unit, can eliminate the internal stress of the yarn before heat color fixing, ensure dimensional stability and color-fixing uniformity, and optimize the hot air contact efficiency, thereby improving heat energy utilization and drying uniformity.

[0021] In one specific embodiment, the post-processing mechanism includes: A cleaning tank is configured to remove excess dye that is not fixed on the surface of the multiple yarns; A bellows, configured to provide circulating air to dry the multiple yarns after cleaning; An oiling machine is configured to apply a preset oil to the dried multiple yarns; A winding machine configured to wind up the plurality of yarns after a preset oil has been applied.

[0022] The proposed solution integrates post-processing units such as cleaning, drying, oiling, and winding, which can thoroughly remove floating color and impurities, ensure the final color fastness and purity of the finished product, and achieve efficient, uniform, and low-stress drying and finishing.

[0023] In one specific embodiment, the post-processing mechanism further includes: The third guide machine is located upstream of the cleaning tank and is configured to guide the multiple yarns from the color-fixing mechanism and send them into the cleaning tank. A fourth guide machine is located between the oiling machine and the winding machine, and is configured to adjust the tension of the multiple yarns entering the winding machine.

[0024] In this application, the processing mechanism achieves efficient and lossless transition between processes and precise control over the final winding quality by adding a third and a fourth guide machine.

[0025] In one specific embodiment, the system further includes: The second wastewater purification and circulation mechanism is connected to the cleaning tank and is configured to purify the wastewater flowing out of the cleaning tank.

[0026] This application proposes a solution that achieves closed-loop utilization of wastewater resources by adding a second wastewater purification and circulation mechanism connected to the cleaning tank. This significantly reduces the environmental load and fresh water consumption, maintains the stability of the concentration and cleanliness of the degreasing process liquid, and ensures the consistency of pretreatment quality.

[0027] Secondly, this application provides a yarn dyeing method, the method being implemented based on the yarn dyeing system described in any one of the first aspects, comprising: Tension control and degreasing treatment are performed on multiple parallel yarns; During the movement of the multiple yarns after the degreasing treatment, digital color spraying is performed on the surface of the multiple yarns using a preset printing technology; The multiple yarns that have been digitally printed are then subjected to a color-fixing treatment. The multiple yarns after color fixing treatment are cleaned and then wound up. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a yarn dyeing system provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the preprocessing mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the preprocessing mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the color spraying mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the color-fixing mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the drying and color-fixing unit provided in some embodiments of this application from one view. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the circulation of dry hot air and humid hot steam in the drying and color-fixing unit provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the drying and color-fixing unit provided in some embodiments of this application from another viewpoint; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the circulation of dry hot air in a hot air mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the circulation of hot, humid steam in a steam mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the post-processing mechanism provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 12 This is a flowchart of a yarn dyeing method provided in other embodiments of this application.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100. Pre-treatment mechanism; 110. Yarn feeding frame; 120. Yarn laying frame; 130. First guide machine; 131. Yarn separating component; 132. Gloss roller; 133. Pressure roller; 140. Oil removal tank; 141. Ultrasonic generator; 142. Heating and temperature control device; 143. Water removal and extrusion roller; 144. Cleaning roller; 145. Yarn separating roller; 150. Second guide machine; 200. Color spraying mechanism; 210. Printing module; 220. Synchronization controller; 300. Color fixing mechanism; 310. Cooling and color fixing unit; 320. Drying and color fixing unit; 321. Housing; 3211. Receiving cavity; 322. Hot air mechanism; 3221. Circular air duct; 3222. Fan; 32 23. Heater; 3224. Air outlet; 3225. First motor; 3226. Display; 323. Steam mechanism; 3231. Water tank; 3232. Heating tube; 3233. Water inlet pipe; 324. Conveying mechanism; 3241. Circular conveyor belt; 3242. Roller; 325. Yarn feeding mechanism; 326. Lifting mechanism; 3261. Lifting execution unit; 330. Refrigeration guide machine; 400. Post-processing mechanism; 410. Washing tank; 420. Air box; 430. Oiling machine; 440. Winding machine; 450. Third guide machine; 460. Fourth guide machine; 500. First sewage purification and circulation mechanism; 600. Second sewage purification and circulation mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] As described in the background section, existing yarn color printing solutions primarily focus on addressing the application of inkjet printheads on yarn, lacking a complete process chain design that systematically integrates and optimizes pretreatment, precision tension control, color printing, immediate color fixing, post-cleaning, and winding. This isolated solution cannot guarantee the stability, efficiency, and finished product quality of the entire digital color printing process for high-elastic yarns, thus hindering the large-scale application of this technology in industry.

[0033] To address one or more of the aforementioned issues, this application proposes a yarn color spraying system. By integrating pretreatment, color spraying, color fixing, and post-treatment functions, it achieves high-quality personalized color spraying of yarn, breaks through the limitations of traditional dyeing, significantly improves the environmental friendliness and economy of the production process, endows the production system with extremely high flexibility and rapid response capabilities, and ensures stable quality throughout the entire process from processing to finished product.

[0034] The following section will provide a detailed description of the scheme in this application, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] To achieve the solution of this application, an embodiment of this application provides a yarn dyeing system, referring to... Figure 1 As shown, the yarn coloring system includes a pretreatment mechanism 100, a color spraying mechanism 200, a color fixing mechanism 300, and a post-treatment mechanism 400 arranged sequentially along the yarn travel direction. The pretreatment mechanism 100 is responsible for precise tension control and degreasing of the input parallel yarns, creating stable and clean physical and chemical conditions for subsequent color spraying. The color spraying mechanism 200 receives the pretreated yarns and, during their continuous travel, uses preset digital printing technology to perform high-precision digital color spraying on the yarn surface, achieving digital customization of patterns and colors. The color fixing mechanism 300 performs rapid and efficient color fixing on the sprayed yarns, ensuring the printed patterns and colors adhere firmly to the yarn fibers. The post-treatment mechanism 400 cleans the fixed yarns to remove excess color and performs neat winding, ultimately obtaining high-quality finished yarn that can be directly used for weaving.

[0036] The system, through the pretreatment mechanism 100, solves the problems of tension sensitivity in high-elastic yarns and the obstruction of dyeing by surface oils, providing an ideal base for color spraying. The color spraying mechanism 200 achieves extremely high pattern precision and color freedom, overcoming the color variations and differences inherent in traditional immersion dyeing. It reduces water and chemical dye consumption at the source and avoids damage to yarn elasticity caused by prolonged high-temperature immersion, making it particularly suitable for dyeing high-end, high-elastic yarns. Since digital color spraying is information-driven, switching patterns and colors requires no replacement of physical components or cleaning of the dyeing vat; it can be completed instantly simply by modifying digital files. This perfectly adapts to the modern market demands for small-batch, multi-color, and customized production, achieving true flexible production. Through precise control and seamless integration of each mechanism, the entire process from unwinding to rewinding of the yarn is kept under control, ensuring stable tension, accurate color spraying, strong color fixation, and thorough cleaning. Ultimately, this guarantees that the finished yarn exhibits excellent and consistent high quality in terms of color fastness, hand feel, and package shape.

[0037] The core function of the pretreatment unit 100 is to provide multiple yarns with constant tension, clean surfaces, and consistent physical states for the subsequent digital inkjet printing process. Based on this, refer to... Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, in some embodiments, the pretreatment mechanism 100 includes a yarn feeding assembly 110, a yarn laying frame 120, a first guide machine 130, an oil removal tank 140, a dehumidifier (not shown), and a second guide machine 150. The yarn feeding assembly 110 can be in the form of a yarn feeding frame or a coil (roll-to-roll) assembly. The yarn feeding assembly 110 serves as the starting point for tension control and can be driven by a drive component. Each yarn passing through the yarn feeding assembly 110 is equipped with a tension sensor to form a real-time closed-loop feedback control system for continuously monitoring and dynamically adjusting the yarn feeding tension, achieving preliminary integration and precise control of the tension of multiple yarns. The yarn laying frame 120 is located downstream of the yarn feeding frame 110 and has evenly distributed ceramic eyelets. Multiple yarns from the yarn feeding frame 110 are guided through independent ceramic eyelets, thereby achieving physical separation and preliminary orderly arrangement of the yarns, controlling the tightness of the multiple yarns, and effectively preventing entanglement or cross-contamination of the yarns in subsequent processes. The first guide machine 130, located after the yarn tray 120, guides multiple yarns at specific angles and makes slight contact to integrate their tension and relax their shape, allowing the yarns to smoothly transition from a separated state to a processed state. The degreasing tank 140 is mainly used to degrease the multiple yarns, removing spinning oils, waxes, and other hydrophobic contaminants from their surfaces (especially synthetic high-elastic yarns), creating a fiber surface with excellent hydrophilicity and cleanliness for subsequent digital coloring. The dehumidifier, located after the degreasing tank 140, dehumidifies the degreased yarns, ensuring they enter the subsequent stages in a suitable dry state. The second guide machine 150, located downstream of the dehumidifier, is primarily responsible for another round of tension integration and stable conveying. It precisely guides and feeds the cleaned and dried yarns into the subsequent digital coloring mechanism in an optimal state of consistent tension and stable shape.

[0038] It should be noted that unwinding refers to multiple yarns being unwound in parallel using independent bobbins, while coiling (roll to roll) refers to pre-winding the yarn onto a large coil and unwinding it as a whole in a roll-to-roll manner. This will not be elaborated further here.

[0039] To achieve extremely high-precision steady-state tension control and rapid dynamic response, in some embodiments, a servo motor can be used as the driving component. With its precise speed control, torque control, and position servo capability, the servo motor can sensitively respond to the feedback signal from the tension sensor and adjust the yarn unwinding speed or braking torque in real time, thereby stabilizing the yarn unwinding tension within a preset target range. However, it should be noted that the aforementioned servo motor is merely an example of a driving component and not a limiting description. Without departing from the inventive concept of this application, any power device or combination capable of providing controllable power output for the yarn unwinding action to achieve the tension control objective described in this application can be used as the driving component in this application. Examples include, but are not limited to: stepper motors, torque motors, variable frequency speed control motors, ordinary motors with precision clutches, and even pneumatic or hydraulic drive systems.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first guide machine 130 and the second guide machine 150 may have the same structure; In other embodiments, the structures of the first guide 130 and the second guide 150 may be different.

[0041] Further reference Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the first guide machine 130 and the second guide machine 150 may be seven-roller guide machines. Taking the first guide machine as an example, it may include a yarn separator 131, a smooth roller 132, and a pressure roller 133. The yarn separator 131 is usually one of the components that the yarn contacts first or early. It is located in the entrance area or upstream stage of the guide machine and is responsible for receiving yarn bundles from the previous process that may not be neatly arranged, and "combing" them into a neat, separated, parallel state to prepare for subsequent processing. Exemplarily, the yarn separator 131 may be a yarn comb. The smooth roller 132 has a smooth and flat surface. Its main function is to change the direction of yarn travel, provide a stable support surface, and, when cooperating with the yarn separator 131 or other rollers, form a specific wrap angle or included angle to control yarn tension and spread the yarn shape. The smooth surface of the smooth roller 132 can reduce friction and allow the yarn to pass through smoothly. Exemplarily, the smooth roller 132 may be a ceramic-coated steel roller. The core function of the pressure roller 133 is to provide controllable pressure. The pressure roller 133 typically consists of a roller that can apply pressure actively or passively, pressing the yarn against the surface of the smooth roller 132. On the one hand, this increases the friction between the yarn and the drive roller, preventing slippage and ensuring strict synchronization between the yarn linear speed and the roller surface speed. On the other hand, applying slight, uniform compression to the yarn helps stabilize its shape or ensures good contact between the yarn and sensors (such as tension sensors). Exemplarily, the pressure roller 133 can be a rubber pressure roller.

[0042] Further reference Figure 3As shown, in some embodiments, the degreasing tank 140 integrates an ultrasonic generator 141, a heating and temperature control device 142, an overflow device (not shown), and a water-removing extrusion roller 143. The ultrasonic generator 141 is located at the bottom or side wall of the tank. The ultrasonic generator 141 can generate high-frequency ultrasonic waves (typically 20-40kHz), which can induce a "cavitation effect" in the cleaning fluid, generating countless tiny vacuum bubbles that instantly collapse, producing a powerful local impact force and micro-jet. This physical action can effectively penetrate the microstructure of fibers, forcefully peeling away oil and dirt adhering to the fiber surface and deep within the crevices, significantly improving cleaning efficiency and uniformity, especially suitable for high-elastic yarns with complex structures. The heating and temperature control device 142 can be implemented using an electric heating tube, coil, etc., linked with a temperature controller to precisely control the temperature of the cleaning fluid. It is understood that appropriate heating can reduce the surface tension of the cleaning fluid, increase its chemical activity, and accelerate the emulsification and dissolution process of the oil, thus forming a "thermochemical-physical" synergy with the ultrasonic action to achieve deep cleaning. An overflow device is located on the side wall or at the end of the tank. Its function is to continuously remove emulsified oil and suspended impurities floating on the liquid surface through a continuous flow of water, preventing the removed contaminants from re-adhering to the yarn and maintaining the continuous cleaning capability of the working fluid in the main cleaning tank. The dewatering and extrusion roller 143 is located at the outlet of the degreasing tank 140. Its core function is to mechanically extrude a large amount of free cleaning fluid carried by the yarn after soaking. The dewatering and extrusion roller 143 can consist of a pair of precisely aligned, elastically adjustable rollers. For example, the dewatering and extrusion roller 143 may include a driving steel roller 143a and a passive rubber roller 143b. The driving steel roller 143a is typically an active drive roller, and its roller body is made of stainless steel or other high-strength, corrosion-resistant metal materials. The surface may be polished, chrome-plated, or specially textured to provide sufficient rigidity and stable traction to drive the material through and withstand the main crushing force. The passive rubber roller 143b is typically a driven roller, with its core covered by an elastic rubber layer (such as nitrile rubber, silicone rubber, or polyurethane). The rubber layer material must possess suitable hardness, elastic recovery, abrasion resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance. Its core function is to form an elastic, high-pressure squeezing line in the pressing zone with the driving steel roller. Through elastic deformation, it adapts to minute fluctuations in material thickness, achieving a uniform, gentle, and efficient squeezing effect while avoiding damage to the material surface. This not only significantly reduces the amount of liquid carried by the yarn (lowering the load and energy consumption of subsequent drying units), but also further squeezes out oil stains that have been peeled from the fibers along with the liquid, preventing them from being carried out by the yarn and causing secondary pollution.

[0043] In some embodiments, the degreasing tank 140 is further provided with a cleaning roller 144 and a yarn separating roller 145. The cleaning roller 144 includes a combination of a non-powered guide roller and a powered guide roller. The non-powered guide roller can rotate freely and mainly plays a guiding and supporting role, determining the path of the yarn in the bath solution. The powered guide roller can be driven by a motor or the like and can rotate actively. Its core function is to pull the yarn through the degreasing tank 140 at a constant speed and match the speed with the yarn feeding frame or the like outside the tank, ensuring that the yarn tension is stable throughout the treatment process and avoiding relaxation or overstretching caused by soaking. The surface of the yarn separating roller 145 can usually be provided with grooves (separation grooves), threads, or special surface treatments. When multiple parallel yarns pass through, these grooves can physically separate adjacent yarns, ensuring that each yarn travels along an independent and fixed path, preventing mutual contact, entanglement, or friction. At the same time, the grooves also play a key guiding role. The yarn separating roller 145 is usually located in the inlet area or upstream stage of the degreasing tank 140. It is responsible for receiving yarn bundles from the previous process that may not be arranged neatly, and "combing" them into a neat, separated parallel state to prepare for subsequent processing.

[0044] In some embodiments, a vacuum dehumidifier can be used. A vacuum dehumidifier establishes and maintains a negative pressure environment below atmospheric pressure within a sealed cavity using a vacuum pump. Under this environment, the boiling point of water is significantly reduced. When yarn carrying moisture passes through this vacuum cavity, the moisture rapidly vaporizes and evaporates at a lower temperature (e.g., room temperature or under mild heating conditions) and is extracted by the vacuum system. Utilizing the principle of lowering the boiling point through vacuum, rapid dehydration can be achieved at relatively low temperatures, greatly reducing the risk of heat damage to heat-sensitive, highly elastic yarns and effectively protecting the original elasticity and feel of the yarn. Furthermore, the negative pressure environment promotes simultaneous and uniform evaporation of moisture from both the inner and outer layers of the yarn, avoiding the "dry outside, wet inside" or surface hardening phenomena that may occur with traditional hot air drying.

[0045] Further reference Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments, the system further includes a first wastewater purification and circulation mechanism 500, which can be connected to the degreasing tank 140 via a pipeline system to form an independent and efficient water treatment closed loop. The first wastewater purification and circulation mechanism 500 can perform online, real-time purification of high-concentration cleaning wastewater continuously discharged from the degreasing tank 140, rich in oil, surfactants, suspended particles, and other organic impurities. This mechanism typically integrates a series of physical, chemical, and possible membrane treatment units (e.g., sedimentation / flocculation tanks, oil-water separators, multi-stage filters (e.g., sand filters, activated carbon filters), ultrafiltration (UF) membrane modules, etc.), which can be modularly combined according to wastewater quality and treatment objectives. Its standard workflow is as follows: overflow or actively discharged wastewater from the degreasing tank 140 is pumped to this purification mechanism, passing through the aforementioned treatment units sequentially to gradually remove grease, turbidity, color, and some dissolved pollutants from the water, ultimately restoring the effluent to clarity and meeting reusable process standards.

[0046] The treated purified water is ultimately pumped back to the degreasing tank 140 as replenishment process water for reuse. This design achieves an internal water circulation system in the pretreatment stage's degreasing process: "Degreasing tank → First wastewater purification and circulation mechanism → Degreasing tank." This not only realizes closed-loop utilization of water resources, minimizing fresh water consumption and industrial wastewater discharge, reducing environmental impact, and lowering water and wastewater treatment costs for enterprises, but also maintains the effectiveness and cleanliness of the working solution in the degreasing tank 140 through circulating purification, ensuring long-term dynamic stability of the concentration, temperature, and cleanliness of the degreasing working solution. This ensures that all yarns undergo degreasing under nearly identical optimized conditions, resulting in a uniform, reliable, and repeatable surface cleaning effect, laying a solid foundation for high-quality subsequent color spraying.

[0047] The inkjet printing mechanism 200 in this embodiment abandons the traditional immersion dyeing method and innovatively applies high-speed digital inkjet printing technology to continuously moving yarn. (Refer to...) Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, the inkjet printing mechanism 200 includes a printing module 210 and a synchronization controller 220, which work together to achieve high-precision, full-width, one-time digital inkjet printing on dynamic multi-yarn yarns. The printing module 210 is the direct physical output unit for patterns and colors, and it includes multiple print heads. These print heads are fixedly arranged along the width direction (lateral direction) of the yarn, forming a static digital printing array with a total coverage width greater than or equal to the warp width of the yarn bundle (i.e., multiple yarns). During the continuous, uninterrupted high-speed movement of multiple yarns, multiple print heads can print the preset pattern or color on the entire yarn bundle passing beneath them at once, completely solving the problem of yarn pauses or steps required in traditional scanning printing, realizing true continuous production and greatly improving processing efficiency. The synchronization controller 220 is electrically connected to the printing module 210. The synchronization controller 220 can acquire the instantaneous travel speed and precise position information of the yarn collected by the high-precision encoder (or other position sensor), and based on the yarn speed and position data, combined with the digital pattern or color information to be printed, it can accurately calculate and trigger the ink ejection sequence of each nozzle on each print head at an extremely high frequency, ensuring that no matter what speed the yarn moves at, every ink droplet ejected from the nozzle will perfectly coincide with the preset landing point of the pattern or color at that position the moment it arrives on the yarn surface.

[0048] In some embodiments, the printhead may be an industrial-grade piezoelectric inkjet printhead. This type of printhead utilizes the inverse piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric ceramic materials as its driving principle: when a voltage is applied, the piezoelectric element undergoes precise deformation, thereby squeezing the ink chamber and ejecting ink at high speed and with precision in the form of single or multiple droplets of controllable size.

[0049] Reference Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the color-fixing mechanism 300 includes at least one of a cooling color-fixing unit 310 and / or a drying color-fixing unit 320. Exemplarily, the color-fixing mechanism 300 may employ a structure in which the cooling color-fixing unit 310 and the drying color-fixing unit 320 are connected in series. That is, the cooling color-fixing unit 310 is used as the first stage of the color-fixing process. Its main function is to rapidly and controllably cool the yarn that has just finished printing and whose surface ink is still wet or semi-wet, achieving instantaneous cooling, solidifying the dye, and locking in the fine patterns or colors produced by high-speed printing. For example, by forced convection (such as cold air), contact cooling (such as cooling rollers), or other cooling methods, the temperature of the yarn and its surface ink layer is rapidly reduced, causing a change in the physical state of the polymer, resin, or specific additives in the ink, i.e., a transition from a liquid or gel state to a solid state, forming a preliminary "pre-fixed" film with a certain strength. The drying and color-fixing unit 320 follows the cooling and color-fixing unit. As the second and final stage of the color-fixing process, its main function is to perform programmed heating treatment on the pre-fixed yarn.

[0050] Further reference Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the color-fixing mechanism 300 may further include a refrigeration guide machine 330 disposed between the cooling color-fixing unit 310 and the drying color-fixing unit 320. As an exemplary and not limiting illustration, the refrigeration guide machine 330 may be a seven-roller guide machine, but unlike ordinary guide rollers, the rollers of the refrigeration guide machine 330 are designed with a closed refrigerant circulation channel, forming a built-in heat exchange system. The refrigerant (such as chilled water, ethylene glycol solution, or a specific refrigerant) is cooled to a preset low temperature by an external refrigeration unit, then pumped through pipelines and continuously circulates in the channel inside the roller. Under the continuous circulation of the refrigerant, the entire outer surface of the roller is actively maintained at a stable and controllable low temperature, thereby maintaining a low-temperature environment while guiding the yarn.

[0051] Reference Figure 6As shown, in some embodiments, the drying and color-fixing unit 320 mainly includes a housing 321, a hot air mechanism 322, and / or a steam mechanism 323, a conveying mechanism 324, and a yarn-laying mechanism 325. The housing 321 forms a receiving cavity 3211, providing a stable environment for the color-fixing process. The hot air mechanism 322 is located at the first position of the housing 321, capable of supplying controllable dry hot air into the receiving cavity 3211 to achieve high-temperature drying and color fixing. The steam mechanism 323 is located at the second position of the housing 321, used to generate and release humid hot steam to enhance fiber penetration and color stability. Through the alternating action of dry hot air and humid hot steam, rapid color fixing under high-temperature conditions can be achieved, and the steam can penetrate the interior of the fiber, enhancing the binding force between dye molecules and the fiber, significantly improving the color fastness and color uniformity of the elastic material. The conveying mechanism 324 is horizontally arranged inside the housing 321, used to carry and continuously convey yarns (such as elastic fabrics or yarns) sequentially through the dry heat and humid heat treatment areas. The yarn spreading mechanism 325 is located at the entrance of the conveying mechanism 324. The yarn spreading mechanism 325 can spread the input yarn evenly on the conveying mechanism 324 to avoid tangling or stacking, and ensure that the yarn is heated evenly and fully in contact with the medium during the processing.

[0052] In some embodiments, the first and second positions are arranged vertically or horizontally opposite each other within the housing, or the first and second positions are located on the same side of the housing. It should be noted that when the first and second positions are vertically opposite each other (e.g., the hot air mechanism is above and the steam mechanism is below), this arrangement naturally creates a vertical convection of dry hot air flowing downwards and moist hot steam flowing upwards within the receiving cavity. This three-dimensional convection pattern allows the upper and lower surfaces and internal fibers of the elastic material to simultaneously and fully receive the cross-action of two different thermal media during transport, effectively promoting the uniform fixation and migration of dyes from the surface to the inner layer, which is particularly suitable for thick, dense elastic materials requiring high penetration uniformity. When the first and second positions are horizontally opposite each other, a transverse convection field is formed in the horizontal direction. During horizontal transport, the elastic material will be simultaneously subjected to the transverse action of dry hot air and moist hot steam on both sides of its width. This layout achieves extremely uniform temperature and humidity distribution across the width of the material, fundamentally avoiding problems such as "edge-center color difference" or "left-right color variation" that may be caused by thermal or vapor field gradients along the width of the equipment. This is particularly beneficial for large-area uniform color fixing of wide-width elastic fabrics or yarn layouts. When the first and second positions are located on the same side of the chamber (e.g., both on top, bottom, or side), this layout allows for close spatial integration or partial overlap of dry and wet heat treatments, supporting a "one-step" rapid composite color fixing process. As the material passes through this integrated treatment area, it receives both treatments almost simultaneously, significantly shortening the process travel and time, and improving production efficiency. Simultaneously, this layout simplifies the internal structure of the chamber and the layout of external pipelines, facilitating centralized energy supply and recovery, reducing heat and moisture loss during long-distance transportation, and thus improving the overall energy efficiency and operational economy of the equipment.

[0053] The following describes the solution of this application in detail, taking the first position located above the housing 321 (i.e., the hot air mechanism 322 is located above the housing 321) and the second position located below the housing 321 (i.e., the steam mechanism 323 is located below the housing 321) as an example. (Refer to...) Figure 7 As shown, the hot air mechanism 322 generates dry, hot air from top to bottom within the receiving cavity 3211, while the steam mechanism 323 generates humid, hot steam from bottom to top within the receiving cavity 3211. Through the alternating action of the upper dry, hot air and the lower humid, hot steam, rapid color fixing under high-temperature conditions can be achieved, and the steam can penetrate the fiber interior, enhancing the binding force between dye molecules and the fiber, significantly improving the color fastness and color uniformity of the elastic material. (Refer to...) Figure 8As shown, in some embodiments, the hot air mechanism 322 mainly includes an annular air duct 3221, a fan 3222, and a heater 3223. The annular air duct 3221 is arranged along the length of the upper part of the housing 321, forming a continuous and uniform airflow channel. The fan 3222 is installed inside the annular air duct 3221 and is responsible for actively drawing air into the annular air duct 3221 to ensure the power and supply of airflow. The heater 3223 is located near the fan 3222 and rapidly and precisely heats the air drawn in by the fan 3222, thereby forming dry and hot air that meets the process requirements. With the guiding effect of the annular air duct 3221, the dry and hot air is evenly diffused downwards to the entire processing area.

[0054] In some embodiments, the fan 3222 may be a centrifugal fan. With its unique impeller rotation structure, the centrifugal fan can efficiently convert axially incoming air into radial high-speed airflow, thereby forming a stable, continuous airflow with a certain pressure within the annular duct 3221. The centrifugal fan can provide high pressure, allowing hot, dry air to fully penetrate the elastic material layer, enhancing heat exchange, while ensuring a uniform and controllable airflow field throughout the entire containment cavity, reducing temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, the centrifugal fan has a compact structure, operates smoothly, and is easily integrated with the heater 3223 and the upper space of the housing 321, making it suitable for long-term reliable operation in high-temperature environments.

[0055] In some embodiments, the heater 3223 can be an annular finned electric heater. The annular finned electric heater has an annular structure with multiple layers of fins and can be directly mounted around the impeller of the fan 3222. When the fan 3222 is running, external cold air is drawn in axially and immediately flows through the annularly distributed heating fins, forming a surrounding heating contact. This structure achieves instant heating; the cold air is uniformly and fully heated into dry, hot air the moment it is drawn in, and then radially blown out by the impeller of the fan 3222 and sent into the annular air duct 3221, significantly shortening the air heating time. Furthermore, the multiple layers of fins expand the heating surface area, enhance heat exchange between the air and the heater 3223, effectively reduce heat loss, and achieve high heat conversion efficiency, which is beneficial for energy saving and consumption reduction. Moreover, the annular symmetrical heating layout, combined with the airflow guidance of the fan 3222, makes the air heated more evenly, avoiding local overheating or temperature stratification, thereby ensuring the temperature consistency of the output dry, hot air.

[0056] Further reference Figure 8As shown, the annular air duct 3221 has multiple elongated air outlets 3224 extending along the width of the conveying mechanism 324. The air outlets 3224 are arranged in vertical layers, fully covering the working area of ​​the conveying mechanism 324 and ensuring that hot, dry air acts evenly from top to bottom within the working area. Each air outlet 3224 is equipped with an independent adjustable damper (not shown in the figure), allowing operators to finely adjust the gas flow rate of each outlet 3224 according to process requirements, thereby achieving localized fine-tuning of the airflow distribution within the working area.

[0057] Further reference Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the hot air mechanism 322 further includes a first motor 3225, multiple temperature sensors (not shown), a temperature control module (not shown), and a display 3226. The first motor 3225 is connected to the fan 3222 and configured to steplessly adjust the airflow of the fan 3222. The first motor 3225 can be connected to the fan 3222 using a frequency converter, enabling continuous and smooth stepless adjustment of the fan speed according to the specific requirements of the color-fixing process, thereby achieving precise control of the airflow. Multiple temperature sensors (not shown) are evenly arranged within the receiving cavity 3211 to collect temperature data from different areas in real time and display the data in real time on the display 3226 located on the annular air duct 3221. The temperature control module (not shown) is connected to each temperature sensor (not shown) and heater 3223. Based on the collected multi-point temperature data, it dynamically calculates and adjusts the on / off cycle and output power of heater 3223 through a built-in preset algorithm to achieve closed-loop precise control of the working temperature inside the chamber.

[0058] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the preset algorithm used in the temperature control module. As an illustrative rather than restrictive explanation, the preset algorithm may employ a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control algorithm. Those skilled in the art should understand that other applicable control algorithms, such as fuzzy control, adaptive control, or model-based predictive control, can also be used in actual implementation. Any algorithm that can achieve stable and precise adjustment of the heater power based on temperature sensor data falls within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0059] Reference Figure 9As shown, when the hot air mechanism 322 is working, the fan 3222 located on the upper part of the housing 321 starts, drawing air from the receiving cavity 3211 axially through the air inlet. The air immediately passes through the heater 3223 surrounding the fan 3222 and is rapidly and evenly heated into high-temperature dry hot air. Under the action of the fan 3222, the heated dry hot air is radially sent out along the annular air duct 3221, and then evenly blown from top to bottom onto the yarn surface on the conveying mechanism 324 through multiple air outlets 3224 extending along the width direction of the conveying mechanism 324 on the annular air duct 3221. The dry hot air penetrates the yarn layer, achieving rapid heating and moisture evaporation (if there is residual humidity). During this process, the air and the yarn exchange heat and moisture, the air temperature drops slightly, and it carries a small amount of water vapor. Finally, the slightly cooled air is drawn back axially through the air inlet by the fan 3222, thus completing the heat circulation path in the hot air mechanism 322.

[0060] Further reference Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the steam mechanism 323 is located below the housing 321 and mainly includes a water tank 3231 and a heating pipe 3232. The water tank 3231 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the housing 321 and is used to store and contain a certain amount of liquid water. The heating pipe 3232 is arranged inside the water tank 3231 and is completely submerged in the water during operation. It directly heats the water by passing electricity, causing it to continuously evaporate and generate saturated hot steam. The generated hot steam rises naturally and diffuses evenly into the upper cavity space, making full contact with the elastic material on the conveying mechanism.

[0061] In some embodiments, the heating tube 3232 in the steam mechanism 323 may adopt a specific shape design, such as a U-shaped structure or a flanged structure. The U-shaped heating tube, by bending into a continuous U-shaped loop, increases the heat exchange area in the water tank 3231, which is beneficial for improving heating efficiency; the flanged heating tube is fixedly installed through a flange interface, facilitating disassembly and maintenance, and providing good sealing performance. Both structures are mature and reliable industrial heating elements, capable of stable operation while submerged in water, meeting the need for continuous generation of saturated steam.

[0062] In some embodiments, the steam mechanism 323 further includes a water inlet pipe 3233. One end of the water inlet pipe 3233 is connected to an external water source, and the other end extends into the water tank 3231 and communicates with the water tank 3231. The water flow can be controlled by a manual valve or a solenoid valve to achieve quantitative and automatic water replenishment into the water tank 3231. It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific arrangement position of the water inlet pipe 3233 in the steam mechanism 323. The water inlet pipe 3233 can be flexibly set in different positions such as the side wall, top, or bottom of the water tank, depending on factors such as the structure of the water tank 3231, equipment layout, and ease of operation. Those skilled in the art should understand that as long as the water inlet pipe 3233 can reliably supply water to the inside of the water tank and can cooperate with the water level control device to complete the automatic water replenishment function, different choices of its specific installation position and direction are all within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0063] In some embodiments, a water level monitoring device (such as a float switch or an electrode-type water level sensor) can be installed in the water tank 3231. When the water level in the water tank 3231 is lower than a set lower limit, the water inlet is automatically opened, and when it reaches the upper limit, it is automatically closed, thereby maintaining a stable working water level in the water tank 3231. Through the cooperation of the water inlet pipe 3233 and the water level control device, it is ensured that the water volume in the tank is continuously sufficient, avoiding water level drops due to evaporation, dry burning of the heating element, or interruption of steam output, thus ensuring the continuity and stability of steam generation. Frequent manual observation and water addition are unnecessary, reducing the operational burden; at the same time, it avoids overheating damage to the heating element or safety accidents caused by low water levels, improving the reliability of equipment operation.

[0064] Reference Figure 10 As shown, when the steam mechanism 323 is working, the heating pipe 3232 located at the bottom of the chamber 321 is energized and started. The heating pipe 3230 directly and continuously heats the water in the water tank 3231 until the water boils and produces saturated humid heat steam. The humid heat steam diffuses upwards evenly with the help of natural convection, filling the entire containment cavity 3211, and mixes with the dry hot air generated by the hot air mechanism 322 above, thereby forming a high temperature and high humidity environment with stable temperature and humidity and uniform distribution inside the chamber.

[0065] Further reference Figure 8As shown, in some embodiments, the conveying mechanism 324 mainly includes an annular conveyor belt 3241, multiple rollers 3242, and a second motor (not shown). The annular conveyor belt 3241 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, commonly known as Teflon) coated fiberglass mesh, which has excellent high-temperature resistance, anti-adhesion properties, and a low coefficient of friction. Multiple rollers 3242 are arranged inside the housing 321, and the annular conveyor belt 3241 forms a closed loop around each roller 3242. The second motor (such as a servo motor or a frequency converter motor) is connected to one of the rollers 3242 (as the drive roller), thereby driving the drive roller to rotate and causing the annular conveyor belt 3241 to run smoothly at a set speed.

[0066] It should be noted that the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating can withstand high-temperature dry heat and humid steam environments for extended periods, and its smooth, non-stick surface effectively prevents elastic materials (especially yarns) from sticking to the conveyor belt or becoming contaminated with residual dyes during transport, ensuring the cleanliness of the material surface. Furthermore, the low coefficient of friction of the PTFE coating allows it to gently support sensitive materials such as highly elastic yarns, preventing fuzzing, scratches, or deformation caused by friction, thus maintaining the material's physical properties and appearance quality.

[0067] In some embodiments, the running speed of the annular conveyor belt 3241 can be continuously adjusted by the cooperation of the second motor and the speed controller, thereby precisely controlling the passage time of the elastic material in the receiving cavity 3211 (e.g., continuously adjustable within 2-10 minutes) to ensure sufficient and consistent color fixation under different process requirements.

[0068] In some embodiments, the yarn feeding mechanism 325 includes a linear module, a comber, and a third motor. The linear module extends horizontally along the width direction of the conveying mechanism 324 and is positioned in front of the yarn inlet. The linear module drives the comber to reciprocate along the width direction, continuously and evenly spreading multiple yarns onto the conveyor belt, ensuring uniform yarn thickness and avoiding localized accumulation or gaps. The comber is mounted on a slide of the linear module, with multiple comb teeth at its lower part for guiding the yarns. The comb tooth structure of the comber can orderly separate and guide multiple yarns, preventing them from tangling or knotting during the feeding process, ensuring production continuity and material integrity. Furthermore, the uniform spreading of multiple yarns ensures that each yarn is fully exposed to hot air and steam during the color-fixing process, with consistent heating and moisture absorption conditions, thereby significantly improving color-fixing uniformity and overall quality. The third motor (such as a stepper motor or servo motor) is connected to the linear module, driving the slide to perform smooth and precise reciprocating motion along the width direction of the conveying mechanism.

[0069] During operation, multiple yarns from the previous process are conveyed forward and guided by the comb teeth of the reciprocating comber, spreading out layer by layer. Next, the control slide moves back and forth in a zigzag pattern at a set speed and stroke, so that the elastic yarn is evenly and flatly spread on the surface of the conveyor mechanism 324, thereby effectively preventing the yarn from stacking, tangling or unevenly distributed on the conveyor belt.

[0070] Further reference Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the color-fixing device also integrates a lifting mechanism 326. The lifting mechanism 326 is located at the bottom of the device and is used to raise or lower the color-fixing device to adjust its overall height. By adjusting the overall height of the color-fixing device within a certain range through the lifting mechanism 326, the color-fixing device can be smoothly connected to upstream and downstream equipment, improving the flexibility of the production line layout. Furthermore, the height-adjustable design allows the color-fixing device to adapt to diverse production lines composed of different workshop floor heights and different specifications of upstream and downstream equipment, enhancing the equipment's versatility and adaptability to various scenarios.

[0071] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism includes multiple lifting actuators 3261 and a synchronization controller (not shown). As an exemplary and non-limiting illustration, the lifting actuators 3261 may include four units, which may be respectively installed at the four corners of the bottom of the color-fixing device. The synchronization controller is signal-connected to all lifting actuators 3261 to achieve centralized and unified control. It is understood that setting multiple lifting actuators 3261 to be driven uniformly by the synchronization controller can improve the accuracy of the synchronization of the lifting actuators 3261's movements, avoid tilting of the housing 321 or structural stress concentration due to asynchronous lifting, and ensure the stability and safety of the equipment.

[0072] In some embodiments, the lifting actuator 3261 may employ an electric linear actuator or a screw jack as its power and transmission components. An electric linear actuator typically drives a lead screw or gear via a motor to achieve linear push-pull motion; a screw jack, based on the principle of worm gear or ball screw transmission, converts rotary motion into linear lifting. Both structures are mature linear actuators with self-locking capabilities, can be independently installed at the bottom of the color-fixing device, and are driven by a unified signal from a synchronous controller.

[0073] In some embodiments, the system further includes a stabilizing yarn-laying mechanism (not shown). The stabilizing yarn-laying mechanism (not shown) is positioned upstream of the drying and fixing unit 310, immediately adjacent to its inlet, to perform final tension adjustment and physical shaping of the pre-treated yarn before it enters the drying and fixing unit 310 for high-temperature fixing. Exemplarily, the stabilizing yarn-laying mechanism may consist of one or more sets of reciprocating oscillating guide rods (or swing arms) and their driving devices. By controlling the guide rods to oscillate regularly at a specific frequency and amplitude, the length of the yarn path passing through them undergoes periodic, slight changes, thereby releasing and homogenizing residual stress accumulated inside the yarn, eliminating tension unevenness that may be caused by traction or turning in the preceding process, and transforming the yarn from a taut straight state to a moderately relaxed and uniformly undulating curved state, ensuring that it enters the drying and fixing unit 310 in a low-stress, untwisted, and relaxed state.

[0074] In some embodiments, the stabilizing yarn-laying mechanism, in addition to its oscillating function, also integrates an automatic lifting function in its overall structure. For example, a servo motor, electric push rod, or linear module can be used as a drive device to enable the mounting bracket or main frame of the entire stabilizing yarn-laying mechanism to move precisely up and down in the vertical direction, thereby adjusting the yarn feeding angle and contact point with the drying oven to adapt to different process formulas and production speeds.

[0075] Reference Figure 11As shown, in some embodiments, the post-processing unit 400 includes a washing tank 410, an air box 420, an oiling machine 430, a winding machine 440, a third guide machine 450, and a fourth guide machine 460. The washing tank 410, as a key step in the post-processing, removes unfixed dye (floating dye) and other residual impurities that remain physically attached to the surface of multiple yarns after color fixing. Through immersion, spraying, or a combination of both, it ensures excellent final color fastness for the multiple yarns, meeting high standards for washability and abrasion resistance. The air box 420, located downstream of the washing tank 410, uses circulating hot air or ambient temperature air to perform non-contact drying of the moistened multiple yarns. This method avoids frictional damage and sudden tension changes that may occur with high-temperature drying cylinders, gently and evenly reducing the yarn moisture content to a safe range, preparing a dry substrate for the subsequent oiling process. The oiling machine 430 is the core equipment for restoring and optimizing the yarn's processing performance and feel. Its function is to quantitatively and evenly apply a pre-set oiling agent (such as spinning oil, smoothing agent, antistatic agent, etc.) to the dried yarn. This process can significantly reduce the yarn's coefficient of friction, giving it good antistatic properties, a smooth hand feel, and good bundle properties, greatly improving the processability of subsequent knitting or weaving. The winding machine 440, as the end point of the entire production line, functions to wind the processed finished yarn into standard cones with uniform density and regular shape under precisely controlled tension. The third guide machine 450 is located upstream of the cleaning tank. Its function is to smoothly guide multiple yarns out from the high-temperature color-fixing mechanism outlet and guide them into the cleaning tank 410 at a preset angle and tension. The third guide machine 450 plays a crucial role in physical buffering and path guidance, preventing stress caused by sudden cooling or abrupt path changes in the high-temperature yarn, and ensuring that the yarn begins cleaning in the best condition. The fourth guide machine 460 is located between the oiling machine 430 and the winding machine 440. Its function is to perform final tension integration and fine-tuning on the yarn that has undergone all chemical and physical treatments and is coated with oil. As the last control point before winding, it can eliminate the small tension fluctuations accumulated in the previous steps, ensuring that the yarn enters the winding machine 440 with a constant and optimal tension. It is a decisive component for obtaining a perfect package with consistent tension between the inner and outer layers and no defects such as collapsed or hard edges.

[0076] In some embodiments, the cleaning tank 410 may adopt a structure similar to that of the degreasing tank 140, as described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0077] In this application, the specific implementation of the bellows 420 is not limited. Without departing from the inventive concept of this application (i.e., providing a large flow of circulating air to achieve efficient, uniform, and gentle yarn drying), any bellows or hot air drying device known in the art that can achieve the same or similar drying function can be applied to the technical solution of this application and should be considered to fall within the protection scope of the technical feature of "bellows 420". Exemplarily, the bellows 420 includes, but is not limited to, hot air boxes using electric heating, steam heating, or gas heating; drying equipment using different airflow organizations such as horizontal blowing, penetrating, or circulating tunnel; and intelligent bellows integrating different control strategies such as humidity feedback control and variable frequency wind speed regulation.

[0078] In some embodiments, the winding machine 440 may be driven by a servo motor. With its extremely high speed control precision, torque stability, and rapid dynamic response, the servo motor can adjust the winding speed and torque in real time and precisely according to a preset winding curve (such as constant tension, constant linear speed, or tapered winding). This ensures that the winding tension on the yarn remains stable and controllable throughout the entire process from empty to full winding, which is the basis for obtaining an ideal package with consistent inner and outer layer structure and no internal stress accumulation. Furthermore, the winding machine 440 is equipped with a reciprocating mechanism composed of a slider module (typically referring to a precision linear motion unit composed of linear guides, sliders, and drive screws / synchronous belts) to drive the yarn guide, guiding the yarn to perform regular, equidistant reciprocating motion along its axial direction (i.e., the package width direction) on the package surface, thereby achieving uniform and dense laying of the yarn in the package width direction.

[0079] In some embodiments, the third guide machine 450 and the fourth guide machine 460 may also be seven-roll guide machines. Their specific structures can be referred to the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0080] In some embodiments, the system further includes a second wastewater purification and circulation mechanism 600, which is connected to the cleaning tank 410 via a pipeline system, forming a closed-loop treatment unit specifically for post-dyeing cleaning wastewater. The second wastewater purification and circulation mechanism 600 is used for online and efficient purification and regeneration of high-color, high-COD (chemical oxygen demand) cleaning wastewater continuously discharged from the cleaning tank 410, containing a large amount of unfixed dye (floating dye), surfactants, and other soluble impurities. This mechanism typically integrates a multi-stage water treatment process, which, depending on the water quality characteristics, may include, but is not limited to, the following modules: a flocculation sedimentation tank (using reagents to cause pollutants to precipitate), a multi-media filter (such as quartz sand or activated carbon filtration to remove suspended solids and some color), and a membrane separation system (such as an ultrafiltration membrane for retaining large molecular dyes and colloids). The overflow or actively discharged wastewater generated by the cleaning tank 410 is pumped to the purification unit and passes through various treatment units in sequence to gradually remove color, turbidity, organic matter and some ions from the water, so that the produced water quality reaches the clean standard of being clear and transparent and meeting the requirements for process reuse.

[0081] The purified reclaimed water can be recycled back to the cleaning tank as the main supplementary water source. This design achieves a closed-loop internal water circulation system in the post-treatment cleaning process: "cleaning tank → second wastewater purification and circulation mechanism → cleaning tank". This not only realizes the recycling of water resources but also maintains the cleanliness of the working fluid in the cleaning tank through continuous purification, thus deeply integrating water conservation and emission reduction goals into the core production process, achieving a balance between environmental benefits and process stability.

[0082] Corresponding to the above-mentioned yarn dyeing system, this application also provides a yarn dyeing method, referring to... Figure 12 As shown, the method includes: S100: Tension control and degreasing treatment for multiple parallel yarns; Specifically, precise tension control is applied to multiple parallel yarns (especially high-elasticity yarns) to eliminate or homogenize their internal stress, ensuring spatial stability during subsequent continuous movement. Simultaneously, the yarns undergo degreasing treatment to effectively remove hydrophobic substances such as spinning oils adhering to their surfaces, significantly improving the hydrophilicity and free energy of the fiber surface, providing a clean base for high-quality ink adhesion.

[0083] S200: During the movement of the multiple yarns after the degreasing treatment, the surface of the multiple yarns is digitally sprayed with color using a preset printing technology. Specifically, multiple pre-treated yarns are kept moving continuously. During this process, high-precision, full-width digital inkjet printing is performed on the surfaces of the yarns using a pre-set printing technology (such as piezoelectric inkjet technology) based on a digital pattern file. This step enables the digitalization and personalized customization of patterns and colors, breaking through the limitations of traditional dyeing.

[0084] S300: Perform color-fixing treatment on the multiple yarns that have been digitally printed; Specifically, color-fixing treatment is performed on multiple yarns that have already been dyed. This usually involves using methods such as heating, steam, or a specific chemical environment to induce a chemical reaction or physical fixation between the dye molecules and the fiber, thereby giving the yarn excellent color fastness to abrasion and washing.

[0085] S400: The multiple yarns after color fixing treatment are cleaned and then wound up.

[0086] Specifically, the multiple yarns after color fixing are first cleaned to remove loose dye and process residues from the surface, ensuring the purity and colorfastness of the final product. Then, the cleaned yarns are wound into standard cones with regular shape and uniform tension through precise control, completing the entire process from processing to commercial finished product preparation.

[0087] This method, through the logical connection and synergy of the above four steps, forms a complete, efficient, and environmentally friendly digital yarn coloring process route, realizing continuous and high-quality production from raw yarn to personalized colored finished yarn.

[0088] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for system or system embodiments, since they are basically similar to method embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments. The systems and system embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without creative effort.

[0089] The technical solution provided by this invention has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A yarn dyeing system, characterized in that, The system, along the yarn travel direction, includes, in sequence: The pretreatment mechanism is configured to perform tension control and degreasing treatment on multiple parallel yarns; The color spraying mechanism includes at least a printing module, the printing module including multiple print heads arranged along the yarn width direction, configured to digitally spray color onto the yarn based on a preset printing technology during the travel of the multiple yarns; A color-fixing mechanism is configured to fix the color of the multiple yarns that have been sprayed with color. The post-processing unit is configured to clean and wind up the multiple yarns after color fixing treatment.

2. The yarn dyeing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pretreatment mechanism, along the yarn travel direction, includes: The yarn feeding assembly includes a drive unit and a tension sensor, configured to control the tension of the plurality of yarns; A yarn feeder includes evenly distributed ceramic eyelets, configured to pass the plurality of yarns from the yarn feeding assembly through the ceramic eyelets for separation; The degreasing tank is configured to degrease the multiple yarns. A dehumidifier is configured to dehumidify the multiple yarns after the degreasing treatment.

3. The yarn dyeing system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pretreatment mechanism further includes a first guide machine disposed between the cable tray and the degreasing tank, and a second guide machine disposed downstream of the dehumidifier; The first guide machine and / or the second guide machine include a yarn separating component, a light roller, and a pressure roller.

4. The yarn dyeing system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The system also includes: The first wastewater purification and circulation mechanism is connected to the degreasing tank and is configured to purify the wastewater flowing out of the degreasing tank.

5. The yarn dyeing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The color spraying mechanism also includes: A synchronization controller, electrically connected to the printing module, is configured to control the inkjet action of the print head based on the travel speed and position of the multiple yarns.

6. The yarn dyeing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The color-fixing mechanism includes: A cooling and color-fixing unit is configured to cool and fix the dyed yarns; and / or, The drying and color-fixing unit is configured to heat and fix the multiple yarns after cooling.

7. The yarn dyeing system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The drying and color-fixing unit includes: The box-shaped enclosure has an internal cavity for receiving contents. A hot air mechanism, located at a first position within the housing, is configured to generate dry, hot air within the receiving cavity; and / or, A steam mechanism is located at a second position in the housing and configured to generate hot, humid steam within the receiving cavity; A conveying mechanism, disposed within the housing, is configured to carry and convey the multiple yarns through the receiving cavity; A yarn spreading mechanism is located at the entrance of the conveying mechanism and is configured to spread the multiple yarns on the conveying mechanism.

8. The yarn dyeing system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The system also includes: A stabilizing yarn-laying mechanism is located upstream of the drying and color-fixing unit and is configured to adjust the tension of the multiple yarns before they enter the drying and color-fixing unit.

9. The yarn dyeing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The post-processing mechanism includes: A cleaning tank is configured to remove excess dye that is not fixed on the surface of the multiple yarns; A bellows, configured to provide circulating air to dry the multiple yarns after cleaning; An oiling machine is configured to apply a preset oil to the dried multiple yarns; A winding machine configured to wind up the plurality of yarns after a preset oil has been applied.

10. The yarn dyeing system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The post-processing mechanism further includes: The third guide machine is located upstream of the cleaning tank and is configured to guide the multiple yarns from the color-fixing mechanism and send them into the cleaning tank. A fourth guide machine is located between the oiling machine and the winding machine, and is configured to adjust the tension of the multiple yarns entering the winding machine.

11. The yarn dyeing system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The system also includes: The second wastewater purification and circulation mechanism is connected to the cleaning tank and is configured to purify the wastewater flowing out of the cleaning tank.

12. A method for dyeing yarn, characterized in that, The method is implemented based on the yarn dyeing system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and the method includes: Tension control and degreasing treatment are performed on multiple parallel yarns; During the movement of the multiple yarns after the degreasing treatment, digital color spraying is performed on the surface of the multiple yarns using a preset printing technology; The multiple yarns that have been digitally printed are then subjected to a color-fixing treatment. The multiple yarns after color fixing treatment are cleaned and then wound up.

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